Priyanka Chopra has put her foot in her mouth by calling Sikkim ‘an insurgency affected area’. The statement has made many see red and upset Indians took to Twitter and Facebook to slam the actress for making an uninformed and irresponsible statement.

The comment was passed in the course of her interview at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) where Peecee promoted PAHUNA – The Little Visitors, her maiden Sikkimese production. Talking to a reporter, Priyanka said, “This is a Sikkimese film. Sikkim is a small state in the Northeast of India which never had a film industry and no one made films from there. It is the first film that’s ever come out of that region because it is very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations. This film is about two kids and their perspective on the refugee crisis on being moved from one place to the other without understanding why they are suddenly packing their bags and leaving and religion. It speaks about all those things from a kid’s perspective.”

For Priyanka’s information, Sikkim happens to be a very peaceful state and Pahuna certainly is not the first film to come out of the state. Romeo in Sikkim a Hindi film shot in Sikkim was released in 1975.

Social media users slammed her statement with the following comments

Abhimanyu DhakalThis is typical. Priyanka the goddess, the true messiah, descended on the ‘good folks troubled by insurgency of Sikkim’ to give them a chance to be a part of a movie which is getting international fame.
Its not about us its about her. She is victim selling so that it can get the awards by influencing jurists.

DipMangar Allayson Your perspective about the State Sikkim in terms of the existence of an insurgency in Sikkim is absolutely false…but you are wow

M Tashi SherpaHer GK shucks…. In a interview she hardly managed to gave the 3 names of PM of India… With such knowledge wt we would expect….

Sonam Tashi GyaltsenGood example to show how little most Indians know about their own country. It’s not her fault, its the Indian education system she has gone through which does not speak much of this region. No wonder she didn’t come to Sikkim.

Kmrssp TirwaMadam Dom head you have no idea of our heavenly place Sikkim it’s India TOP state with is clean with great people and fast progressing one so go read some book of Sikkim silly lady

Jorden BhutiaI like priyanka chopra..but first she shud learn n study some history of Sikkim…Sikkim is a peaceful state..there no insurgency in Sikkim pls..Sikkim is one of de safeest place in de world…

Puran TamangROMEO IN SIKKIM was a hindi film released in 1975. Shyam Pradhan, the lead actor from Gangtok, Sikkim through this film became the first GORKHA to do a lead role in a hindi film….for info please…

Dorji Tobjor “Priyanka Chopra please get your facts correct, there has never been an insurgency problem in Sikkim. Sikkim is the most peaceful state in the Indian union”

Gyanendra Raj Pradhan “Little knowledge is dangerous…I heard tourism department has funded the logistics for her cast & crew….It’s also wrong to say no body has ever made a flim from Sikkim…”

Sonam Tashi Gyaltsen Good example to show how little most Indians know about their own country. It’s not her fault, its the Indian education system she has gone through which does not speak much of this region. No wonder she didn’t come to Sikkim”.

Sikkim may not have a full-fledged movie industry yet but talented artistes abound in the region. As pointed out by a publication, Prashant Rasaily, a very talented filmmaker has made acclaimed films like ‘Katha’ and ‘Acharya’. Movies by Ugen Chatola starred superstar Danny Denzongpa, who was born in Sikkim.